Not While I'm Around
by Mrs. Evil Badnasty
Summary: Lily is singing to Harry on the night Voldemort comes, and, of course, you know what happens. A very sad songfic to the song "Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd. Please R&R!!!


Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. I changed the lyrics a tiny bit and left out a few parts, but the entire song belongs to the musical god Stephen Sondheim, author of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (the musical the song came from, in case you don't know). All Harry Potter characters, etc. belong to the goddess JKR. OK?

Lily Potter sat rocking her son, Harry, as she sang him to sleep. She brushed the tiny wisps of hair out of his adorable face and smiled. She looked up at her husband, James, as he paced around the small house they lived in, constantly fearful of their lives. "James, sit down and relax, why don't you? I trust Peter with my life. He wouldn't betray us like this. Please. You're starting to make me nervous."

"Well, maybe you should be nervous, Lily! The most powerful Dark Wizard in the world is after us, and you seem totally comfortable with that! I don't think it was such a good idea, switching to Peter. He always seemed to be the type who was out for glory. I'm not sure if he wouldn't reveal us just for the chance to become more powerful."

"I don't know," she said simply, then turned back to her baby son.

__

Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around

Nothing's gonna harm you, no sir, not while I'm around

Demons are prowling everywhere, nowadays

I'll send 'em howling, I don't care, I got ways

James looked at his beautiful wife, sitting there singing a song to their son. A song that he had never heard before. "Where did you learn that song?" he asked her.

"My mother used to sing it to me every night until I was sixteen. It had a deep sentimental value to her. I don't know why. But it always made me feel safe, so she always sang it to me."

__

No one's gonna hurt you, no one's gonna dare

Others can desert you, not to worry, whistle I'll be there

Demons'll charm you with a smile, for a while, but in time

Nothing can harm you. Not while I'm around.

"It's beautiful," James breathed. He had always had a weakness for beauty, whether it be art, or music, or nature, or women. He would tear up at anything that was lovely.

Suddenly, he stopped listening to her. Noises were coming from outside, bangs and shouts and screams. "What was that?" he asked.

"Probably just another party, dear," Lily murmured, turning back to Harry.

__

Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around

Nothing's gonna harm you, Harry, not while I'm around

The noises became louder, and she felt a twinge of fear, but kept singing her baby to sleep.

__

Demons are prowling everywhere, nowadays

I'll send 'em howling, I don't care, I got ways

Something banged on the door. James jumped. He ran to the window. "It's Him, Lily! He's here!"

Lily Potter jumped up with Harry in her arms. "What?!" It can't be!"

James clenched his teeth. "Peter. . ." he hissed. "That bastard. He betrayed us." He turned to his wife, standing there, all disheveled, and said, "Take him into the bedroom. Take him and go!"

At that moment, there was a blast and their front door was blown away.

"Take him and run, Lily!" James shouted.

"I love you, James!" she cried back.

"I love you, too, Lily!"

She ran into the bedroom with her son, holding him close to her. She heard voices coming from the other room.

"Stand aside, James. I have work to do." It was a high, chilling voice that she knew. It was Lord Voldemort at last.

"Never," came her dear husband's voice. "I'll never cower in front of an ass like you. There are people who are relying on me. I will NOT back down! You'll have to kill me!"

There was an evil laugh. "Hah. You've just said the magic words. Well, you leave me with no other choice. _Avada Kedavra!_" There was a brilliant flash of green light, and a rushing sound, and a thump on the floor.

"JAMES!" Lily cried, feeling as though her heart was being torn in two. She clutched Harry even closer to her, knowing that her last moments were at hand.

A tall wizard came strolling into the room. "Why, hello, Lily," said Voldemort pleasantly in his high-pitched voice. "I do believe you have something I want."

"No, please, not Harry! Not Harry! Anything but Harry!" she screamed.

The evil man's tone was no longer amiable. "Stand aside, you silly girl. Or I'll deal with you the same way I dealt with your worm of a husband."

Lily gasped. She turned to her son, who was awake and gazing at her without fear. She continued to sing, her voice wavering with fear and sadness.

__

No one's gonna hurt you, no one's gonna dare

Other's can desert you, not to worry, whistle, I'll be there

Voldemort laughed again. "You silly girl! You think a song will protect your darling child? It'll take a hell of a lot more than that to stop me."

__

Demons'll charm you will a smile, for a while, but in time

Nothing can harm you, not while I'm around

"Give me the child, Lily." She shook her head defiantly.

"You'll never hurt Harry!" she spat vehemently.

"Give me the boy or die."

"Well I guess that only leaves me with one option," she said submissively.

Voldemort smiled a satisfied smile. "I knew you were weak. I knew you were going to see it my way."

But Harry's mother had a different plan. She looked at her antagonist, eyes ablaze. "I'll have to die!"

The Dark Lord's smile disappeared. He lifted his evil wand, and shouted, _"Avada Kedavra!"_

Lily Potter's scream could be heard from miles away as she shielded her most precious possession from the onslaught of the devil. Her screams stopped abruptly, and the world knew that a great couple had been finished.

Baby Harry began to cry. Voldemort laughed at the feeble child.

"Weakling. She thought a song could shield you." He began to sing, but not in a motherly tone. He sang it so mockingly it sounded like the devil himself had come up out of Hell to give this man a voice.

__

Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around

Nothing's gonna harm you, Harry, not while I'm around

"Pah! That's the silliest thing I've ever heard! Well now it's your turn, young Harry Potter. You will go join your pathetic parents." He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named lifted the fateful wand, and shouted those fateful words, then began to scream. "No! It can't be! He's not dead! He--"

The world rejoiced at that sudden silence. The world heard the baby's cry. The world mourned the death of two of the greatest.

Fifteen years later, Harry Potter sat in the Gryffindor common room trying to remember something that seemed just out of his reach. A strange melody had been stuck in his head ever since he could remember, and he was just now sitting down to think about it.

He remembered only four lines. Those four lines that his mother had sung to him on her dying day. As he sat there singing to himself, another voice seemed to join his, harmonizing with it and making his song sound like more than just a song. Lily Potter still knew, and she was still there with him, protecting him from the demons.

You like? Please R/R and no flames, please. Tenks! J 


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